Washing-machine



UNITE STATES PATENT Erica.

ANTON JOHN iVALDSOHMIDT, OF RIVERSIDE, lOlVA.

WASHlNG-MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,706, dated January 1, 1 895.

Application filed July 14,1894. $erial No. 51 7. (No

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTON JOHN W LD- sonmn'r, a citizen of the United States, residin g at Riverside, in the county of lvashington and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful ashing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in washing machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of washing machines, and to provide a simple and efficient one, capable of thoroughly and rapidly washing clothes without injuring the fabrics, and at the expenditure of a minimum amount of labor.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawlllgS.

1 designates a tub or body supported by legs 2, and having braces 3 extending inward and upward from the legs. It has a hinged cover 4, which is secured, during the operation of washing, by a sliding bolt 5, arranged to engage one of the handles 6 of the tub.

The tub is provided, on the inner faces of its sides, and bottom, with bars 7 and 8 forming a rubbing surface, and a central tapered stop or deflector 9, is provided to keep the clothes, being washed, away from the center of the bottom of the tub, and to prevent any liability of the clothes collecting in a wad at that point. The clothes are moved over the rubbing surfaces by a circular agitator 10, mounted on a vertical shaft or stem 11, and provided on its lower face with a series of pins 12, adapted to engage the clothes, and carry them with the agitator in its rotary movement.

The shaft or stem is provided at its lower end with outward extending arms 13, which are secured to the upper face of the agitator. It extends upward through the cover, and its upper end is loosely mounted in a top crosspiece 14 of a frame 15. The lower portion of the shaft is squared, or of other polygonal shape, and its upper portion is rounded forming ashoulder 16, andhaving disposed on ita spiral spring 17, the ends of which engage the said shoulder and the lower face of the top cross-piece, whereby the agitator is forced downward upon the clothes, and it is capable of yielding upwardly to accommodate itself to different quantities of clothes.

The lower polygonal portion of the shaft is engaged by an oscillating bar 18, disposed horizontally on the upper face of the cover, and arranged in a keeper 19 and this bar 18 is provided with a central polygonal opening to receive the lower portion of the shaft; and it has at its ends longitudinal slots or openings 20, which are engaged by a pair of oscillating operating levers 21, whereby the shaft and the agitator are alternately semi-rotated in opposite directions. The operating levers are mounted on journals 22, which are formed integral with the top cross-piece 14, and which extend through eyes or openings at the apexes of approximately inverted V-shaped sides of the frame 15.

The lower portions of the operating levers are constructed of metal, and taper downward; and their upper portions are preferably constructed of wood, shaped into handies, and secured in recesses formed by side flanges 23 of the lower metal portions.

The cover of the tub is suitably strength ened by cleats 24, and a reinforcing piece 25, which is provided adjacent to the lower ends of the operating levers with depressions or grooves 26.

The keeper 19 is provided with a horizon-' tal opening, to receive the oscillating bar 18; and the polygonal portion of the shaft carries a collar 27, which is journaled in the bottom of the keeper, and which is formed integral with the bar 18.

It will be readily apparent that the washing machine is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is capable of thoroughly rubbing clothes, that it is easy to operate, and that the clothes being washed are prevented from collecting in a wad at the center.

Changes in the form, proportion, and th minor details of construction may be resorted ing their lower ends loosely engaging the ends of the oscillating bars, substantially as described.

2. In a Washing machine, the combination of a tub having a cover, a frame mounted thereon and comprising sides subtantially V- shaped and a top cross-piece connecting the sides and provided with projecting journals,

a keeper arranged between the sides of the frame and secured to the cover, a vertical shaft journaled on the cover and the frame and provided with a polygonal lower portion forming a shoulder, a spiral spring disposed on the upper portion of the shaft and engaging the shoulder and the top cross-piece, a horizontally disposed oscillating bar arranged in the keeper and engaging the shaft and provided at its ends with openings, and the operatin g levers fulcrumed on said journals and having their lower ends engaging the oscillating bar, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ANTON JOHN XVALDSGHMIDT.

Witnesses:

Louis A. Boss, WM. J. LEWIS. 

